Bivvy Emergency

The Arva Emergency Bivvy is a reusable emergency bivy sack from Arva, the French avalanche-safety brand. It is a single-size sack of aluminium-coated polyethylene that you climb into like a sleeping bag, built to sit in the bottom of your day pack until the walk, ride or ski tour runs long and you are out for the night.

What it covers

The unplanned night: a twisted ankle a few kilometres short of the trailhead, a track that disappears in the dark, cloud that rolls in over the Victorian and NSW high country faster than forecast. The Emergency Bivvy reflects 90% of your body heat back to you and puts a waterproof, windproof layer between you and the wind, rain and snow.

Climb inside when you are settling in until morning. If you are sitting up waiting for a mate to come back, open it out and use it over you as an emergency blanket instead.

How it is made

A coated polyethylene with an aluminium layer, rather than mylar or polyester. That brings three things you notice on the night:

• It stays quiet. Arva describe the material as quiet, which counts when you are trying to sleep in it.
• It keeps working when damaged. The material resists abrasion and is still usable if it is punctured or slightly torn, and you can patch it afterwards.
• It seals out the weather. Waterproof, wind-resistant material with welded seams.

Because it is reusable, a night in it does not mean throwing it away. Repack it and it goes straight back in the kit.

Weight and packed size

108 g, and it packs small enough to forget about until you need it. We stock the Emergency Bivvy because it is the sort of thing that should live permanently in every day pack, hip pack and bikepacking bag, and at that weight there is no reason to leave it at home.

Looking after it

Dry it out before you pack it away after use, and check it over for punctures or tears so you can repair them before it goes back in your kit.